The first thing you notice about the logo for Seattle’s Brouwer’s Cafe is how cool it is. It’s the rampant lion from Belgium’s coat of arms, The Leo Belgicus, but with the colors’ reversed; black on gold instead of gold on black. And if you think it might make a great tattoo, you’re not alone. On Sunday, May 18, they hosted an Employee Appreciation Day for their three-dozen or so staff. Co-owner Matt Bonney invited his friend, and renowned Tattoo Artist with Seattle’s Anchor Tattoo, John Howel, to the party. He also offered to pay for any Brouwer’s lion tattoo that any of his employees might be interested on getting, figuring at most perhaps a handful would take him up on the offer. But he was wrong, and his employees were far more loyal than even he imagined. Howel began doing Brouwer’s tattoos at eleven in the morning and didn’t finish until just after midnight, doing a total of twelve tattoos in all on employees and friends of the Belgian cafe.
Pastry chef David Albright was among those who went under the needle.
The results on Director of Brewing Operations at Skagit River Brewing, Mike Armstrong’s chest.
For more photos from the Brouwer’s tattoo session, visit the photo gallery.